The Buxton Hitmen made the most of a sunny Sunday as they got back to winning ways as they defeated the Mildenhall Fen Tigers 58-37 in their National League clash at the weekend and the Redcar-based Kiwi Jade Mudgway was the star of the show.
After both of their meetings were washed out the previous weekend, the weather gods smiled on Buxton as glorious sunshine bathed the Hi-Edge race track. Unfortunately as the start approached, the Hitmen were two riders short as Scott James and travelling companion Craig Cook were stuck in traffic on the M6 at Garstang.
Buxton opened with a 5-1 as Lee Smethills was joined at the front by partner Danny Hodgson while behind them, Mildenhall’s Barrie Evans kept up the pressure but never really got on terms with Hodgson. Just as the race ended, the two Cumbrian-based riders arrived and for Cook, it was a mad dash to the track as he was out in the second race.
Without time to get himself sorted, Cook jumped on Hodgson’s bike and made it to the tapes just in time. He made a great start on unfamiliar machinery and led but team-mate Lewis Dallaway got caught up as Fen Tiger Darren Smith slowed into the third turn causing Dallaway to run wide and the race ended with the points shared. Buxton increased their lead with maximum points as Mudgway led from start to finish but Gareth Isherwood had to work for the second place. Having made a good start, Isherwood got his line slightly wrong on the second turn and Mildenhall’s David Mason nipped up the inside. The Hitman fought back and moved under Mason as they exited the fourth turn on the next lap to follow his partner home.
Former Redcar Cubs racer James made light of his fraught journey by winning Heat 4 although Dallaway trailed in last as the points were shared. Buxton lead was further extended in the next race as the new pairing of Mudgway and Isherwood teamed up to defeat Evans as the Hitmen led 21-9. Mildenhall put Priest out for a double points tactical ride in Heat 6 and he won the race but Buxton restricted the advantage to a 6-3 and with the points shared in the next two races, the Hitmen led by nine at the halfway stage.
The pairing of Mudgway and Isherwood were at it again in Heat 9 as the latter moved Priest wide on the first turn and Mudgway cut back under the others to pass the Fen Tiger. Their third maximum as a pair disappeared as Isherwood overcooked the second turn on lap two and fell before remounting to finish ahead of Smith. After another Buxton 5-1, Mildenhall threw Evans in as their second tactical move but Cook went around him as they exited turn two. Although the vastly experienced Evans threw everything at the young Hitman, Cook didn’t waiver as took the victory with James in third, Buxton had virtually sealed the win as they led 43-28 with four races to go.
Smith touched the tapes at the start of Heat 12 and went off a 15 metre handicap for the re-run and Dallaway led with Mudgway covering his back wheel from the attentions of Joe Jacobs for a couple of laps in a fine display of team riding as the Hitmen picked up their fifth maximum of the afternoon. As they crossed the line, Mudgway punched the air in triumph as he completed the day unbeaten by an opponent for his first ever maximum in speedway.
Buxton picked up another 4-2 in Heat 13 and a maximum 5-1 in the penultimate race before Evans and Priest brought a bit of respectability to the score with Mildenhall’s only 5-1 in the final race but the Hitmen had long since claimed all of the league points.
Scorers :
Buxton – L Smethills 9, D Hodgson 7+3, J Mudgway 11+1, G Isherwood 7+3, S James 9, C Cook 11+1, L Dallaway 4+1.
Mildenhall – B Evans 11, O Rayson 3, D Mason 0, D Felton 6, L Priest 12+1, D Smith 1+1, J Jacobs 4+1.
On Sunday (21st) the Hitmen face Rye House in the second leg of their Knockout Cup tie with the first race starting at 3pm. Buxton trail by six points from the first match and will need a performance like the one against Mildenhall to go through, so it will be a tight and tense affair with both team trying that extra bit to make it through to the next round.
See also
- Good performance from Mudgway
- Mudgway off to a flyer in UK
